NORTHAMPTON — King Street is reopen to traffic after a rupture in a natural gas line at the former Kollmorgen site forced the closure of a section of the street and evacuation of businesses from Bridge to Barrett streets on Thursday afternoon.

The street was reopened to traffic, and power and gas service are being restored to adjacent businesses, according to the City of Northampton's official Twitter feed. The tweet indicated both southbound lanes were open, while northbound traffic was limited to one lane.

Firefighters evacuated businesses including Firestone, Blue Bonnet Diner, Sherman Williams and many others. Columbia Gas was able to shut the leak down within an hour after crews working where two auto dealerships are being built apparently ruptured the line early Thursday afternoon, officials said.

The city's tweet said Columbia Gas was working with businesses to turn gas service back on. Earlier Thursday afternoon, Assistant Fire Chief Duane Nichols said it could be several hours before repairs were complete.

The power on the approximately half-mile block was shut off immediately following the rupture.

Associated Builders of South Hadley is the general contractor. Nichols said he was not sure who was responsible for the rupture.

Jason Batrano, who works at Firestone Complete Auto Care next to the work site, said workers and customers were told to evacuate immediately and that it could be eight to 10 hours before the leak was repaired.

Another worker there, Kyle Archidiacono, said there was a five-inch hole in the line and they could hear the his of the gas leaking.

Mark Fournier of Fournier Foot Care Center stood near his business across the street from the work site trying to learn more. He said “there was a pocket of gas” inside his store and he was going to take it as sign to take the afternoon off.

Employees of Town Fair Tire, also across the street from the construction site, were evacuated and had to leave their cars behind. They were hoping to return to pick them up.